Last year’s Street Fighter IV brought about the rebirth of the classic franchise. Reintroducing classic characters and gameplay to the next generation, the game saw a large resurgence in popularity and introduced the series to a brand new audience. Only a year after its release, an enhanced version is already out, giving veterans new ways to play, and newcomers the chance to enter the fray.
Initially, the news of an enhanced version of Street Fighter IV among fans was somewhat mixed. Fortunately, and with the utmost confidence, I can say this isn’t a simple cash-in. The amount of content added to this title is staggering. Developed and published by Capcom, Super Street Fighter IV has everything veterans of the original title expect, but with much more. Bringing several new characters, moves, stages, costumes, a revamped arcade mode, expanded online and matchmaking capabilities, and rebalanced gameplay, Super Street Fighter IV reiterates on what made the original great while polishing it to a mirror shine.
Featuring 10 additional characters, including returning fan-favorites such as Dudley, Makoto, and Ibuki (originally from Street Fighter III), the current roster for SSFIV features the most well-rounded character line-ups in the series to date. Two characters that stand out are the brand new additions to the series, a psychotic Taekwondo fighter named Juri and the oddly comical Turkish oil wrestler, Hakkan. Both characters are highly original in personality and in their style of play.
In addition to these characters, the fighting mechanics have seen a much needed re-balancing. Certain moves and techniques from that previous game that were exploitable have been scaled back, and characters that were outmatched against others have been strengthened. On top of that, every character now has two ultra combo moves to choose from, instead of one. For the uninitiated, ultra combos are tide-turning techniques that become available to players after they’ve sustained a certain amount of damage.
One of the key features of the original game was the robust online mode. SSFIV takes things further with the inclusion game modes such as Team Battle, Endless Battle, and the Replay Channel. Team Battle puts two teams of four against each other in knock-out elimination. Endless Battle has players fight to eliminate their opponent. The winner fights the next player in line, and keeps fighting until he/she is defeated. Finally, the Replay Channel allows you to record and watch your old fights. Want to know what you did wrong and how seasoned players succeed? The replay channel not only allows you to show off cool matches to your friends, but also allows you to learn from past mistakes and better yourself as a player.
Another gameplay mode that has seen recent changes is the Arcade Mode. While still very similar to the previous game’s version, Super Street Fighter IV brings in new animated cutscenes to tell the individual character’s story as he/she makes their way through the tournament. On top of that, Bonus Stages, a series staple, makes a return. In these bonus stages, you’ll be tasked with either beating up a car before the time runs out, or destroying as many barrels as possible in the set time. While a fun diversion, you’ll probably be too caught up in the game’s online mode to spend any time in the Arcade Mode.
Super Street Fighter IV is the definitive version of the game and does right by fans and fighting game enthusiasts in every way possible. By far, the best thing about this game is that it’s priced at $40. Because they have added content in every area of the game, and still offer strong fundemental gameplay, this title is a steal at $40 and classic franchises can still thrive in the current generation.
